Jayne Mansfiled’s Car centers on two families in the American South in 1969 as the culture of the traditional American “Old South” clashes with the new wave of the 1960’s counter-culture. The two families come together at the funeral of a woman who was married to both men setting the stage for a serious of dramatic encounters. Veteran actors Robert Duvall and John Hurt play the two patriarchs of the families, one American “old South” and one “very British”, uncomfortably united by the death of Naomi the woman that they both loved. Duvall plays conservative Alabama famer Jim Caldwell who first married Naomi and who was later abandoned by her when she divorced him and moved to England where she married Kingsley Bedford played by John Hurt. Both men now have grown families who make up the dramatic ensemble of characters that extends over several generations.

When Kingsley arrives with his family in Alabama to bury Naomi in her homeland the stage is set for a major clash of cultures between British and American, young and old and conservative and the newly emerging free-wheeling hippie culture of the 1960s.

This is a film mainly about men, the difficulty fathers and sons have in communicating and the impact war has on the men who experience it.

The film is the first outing as a director in 11 years for Billy Bob Thornton who directed, cast and co-scripted the film and it is a deeply personal work.

Speaking at the press conference Thornton said that the film was based on his one personal memories of his childhood and his relationship with his own father. In a moving statement he said: “The film was shot in the South where I grew up. From the time I was four my father used to take my brother and I to car crashes. My father was a Korean war veteran and a very violent Irishman. There was abuse both verbal and physical in our household. He was a very intense guy. I don’t’ think I ever had a conversation with him. He would just stand and stare at the car wrecks for maybe two hours and not speak. My brother and I would just look at each other and wonder what were we doing there. I guess I have spent my entire life trying to get the acceptance of older men. There is a scene in the film where the son goes to the father and asks if there are stories that he can remember about when he was a kid or any conversations they had and the father just doesn’t respond.”

Surprizingly Thornton said that despite all the beatings and lack of communication with his father when he grew up he still loved his father and just realized that his father did not have the capacity to communicate.

The film explores the lack of communication between father and son, generations and cultures. The fine ensemble cast are sure to win it a wide audience in the USA and globally.

Thornton was enthusiastic about working with Rodnyansky he said: I think I am better as a director when I am directing my own material. Thanks to Alexander Rodnyansky I was able to cast, direct and edit as I wanted. Nobody in American wanted to finance this film. I might direct again as long as I can work with people like Alexander.”

Speaking about his move to Hollywood filmmaking Rodnyansky said: “The difference between a Russian and an American director is that a Russian director would never do a movie based on their personal feelings and ideas.”



Director: Billy Bob Thornton
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Robert Duvall, John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick